16:55, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. When prosecutors are free to do their work without fear or favor they pursue justice in which the public can have faith, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Bjørn Berge said in his video message to participants of the Prosecutorial Independence in Upholding the Rule of Law conference in Yerevan on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian prosecution.

Berge spoke about the importance of the independence, impartial and effective judiciaries and said that this includes prosecutors.

“When prosecutors are free to do their work without fear or favor they pursue justice in which the public can have faith,” Berge said.

The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe noted that the Council of Europe has issued a range of binding standards and soft law tools to help member states tackle problems more effectively.

Following this guidance helps ensure that prosecution services are fair, impartial and transparent, and never arbitrary, he said. 

“This conference is an opportunity for us to share experiences and best practice on identifying and overcoming challenges to the prosecutors’ independence. And I also hope that you will be able to reflect upon whether the Council of Europe guidance is sufficient, or whether you believe there is more that we can do. I hope that it will also be a chance for you to discuss how independent prosecutors can overcome the new challenges on the horizon. The environment is a good example. Our recent summit was clear about the importance of stepping up our work to protect it. As part of this, the consultative council of European prosecutors has adopted an opinion on the role of prosecutors in the protection of the environment. And we have a committee of experts currently at work on a new convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law. I have no doubt that impartial, independent prosecutors will be needed in cases of environmental crime, as well as other issues,” Berge said, and thanked the Armenian Prosecution and the EU for organizing the conference.

He also congratulated the Armenian prosecution on its 105th anniversary.